Golf club



Oct 5 1936 w. L. WETTLAFER 2,056,335

GOLF CLUB Filed Jian. l5, 1934 Patented Oct. 6, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvementsin golf clubs and more particularly to clubs of the driver type, i. e. drivers, brassies and spoons.

The standard models of such clubs are designed on the assumption of par play and give substantially maximum results as used by expert or highly competent players whose stance, swing and timing, due to natural or acquired ability, are perfect or nearly so. Such standard models, however, vary from one another in respect to club head weight, weight distribution, the slant or pitch of the face of the club head, and in sundry other respects, these variations being in recognition of the fact that different individuals will have diiferent personal requirements in accordance with their variations in physique and stature. The selection of a proper club is, therefore, a matter of importance and requires care and sound judgment.

Unfortunately even with the best available selection the ingrained faults of a large percentage of players militate against effective results, that is to say the player cannot adapt himself to the club and the club cannot be adapted to the incurable playing idiosyncrasies of the individual or t0 his particular physical characteristics. A numb-er of factors contribute to this lack of adaptability. The difficulty most frequently encountered is that of club head weight, that is to say the club head is in many cases of relatively too great weight or has its weight unsuitably distributed and the timing and control of the swing, particularly where there is lack of strength or too great flexibility in the wrists, is seriously impaired.

Research has shown that club head weight is not the dominant or controlling factor in the length of the drive. It has been established that the length of the drive may actually be increased by the use of a club head of less than standard weight. The assumed advantage of the heavier club head is its contribution to proper playing form, i. e. control of the club head during the swing, timing of the swing, perfection of the arc, 425l and the follow through.

The invention has generally for its objects a golf club of the driver type in which a` lighter club head may be used to obtain the advantage of longer drives for the average player and which may readily be adapted to the personal requirements 0f any individual. Y

A. further object is to provide such a club which may, as occasion requires, due to peculiarities of the terrain or of the particular hole being 55 played, be adapted for an "intentional hook or slice, notwithstanding that the club is essentially intended and available for the correction of the common faults of hooking and slicing.

A further object is to provide a club having the features described and which is readily convertible as to type, that is to say, available for use on the one hand strictly as a driver or, on the other hand, as a brassie or spoon.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of the club head.

Figure 2 is a central vertical section of the club head take-n through the driving face.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section of the club head.

Figure 4 is a perspective View of the club head parts detached and arranged in the relation of their assembly.

In the construction preferred the club head body I is of generally standard or normal outline and outside dimensions but has a relatively large opening 2 between its top and bottom faces. This opening conforms in contour to the outer face of thev club head and materially lessens the weight. The club head body I may be composed of any suitable material, the only requirements being that the material shall have the requisite strength and shall be of Suitable Weight. EX- cellent results have been obtained with club heads composed of an aluminum alloy, various compositions of which are well known on the open market under diiferent trade names. An aluminum alloy club head of the form shown and having the opening 2 is of less weight than a standard club head of substantially the same dimensions and is of even greater strength due to the skin along the wall of the opening 2 and along the outer face of the club head body as a result of the casting operation.

The adaptability of the club head to the requirements of a particular individual involves adjustments of the impact face, the weight and the weight distribution. No set formula for these adjustments can be laid down. Indeed it is from this fact that there arise the deficiencies of the standard club heads in which a determined fixed relation of the factors is assumed as correct. The club head of the present invention is, on the other hand, characterized by a large degree of flexibility or latitude in the adjustments in question and in the relation of these adjustments to one another, the particular adjustments being determined by personal experiment in each case.

The club head body I is formed at its front with a `fiat face 3 which is preferably inclined upward and inward and which provides a bear-V ing or base surface for the companion elements by which the adjustment of the striking or impact face is determined. These elements are an inner plate 4 and an outer plate 5, the outer face of which is the impact face of the club head. The plate 4 rests against the face 3 and the plate 5 rests against the plate 4. These plates are suitably fiXed in a determined relation of adjustment, relatively to one another and to the club head body. The means for this purpose preferably consists. of a bolt Band a wing nut 1. The bolt head ts in a central opening 8 in the plate 5 and is flush with the impact face, the bolt passing through alining openings 9 and Ill in the p1ate 4 and club head body and the Wing nut1 bearing against the inner face of the club head body as provided by the opening 2.l Upon tightening the Wing nut the parts are clamped together in the obvious manner. The plates 4 and 5 are preferably positively secured against pivotal displacement about the bolt 6. Thus the plate 4 has on its inner and outer face projections II which fit in recesses I2 and I3 in the adjacent face of the plate 5 and in the face 3 respectively. One of the companion elements, e. g. the plate 4, is tapered in the direction of its length and the other element, the plate 5, is tapered in the direction of its height. Thus, the element 4 determines the lateral inclination .of the impact face and the element 5 determines its vertical inclina-.

tion. The lateral inclination of the impact face is altered by a reversal ofthe position of the plate 4 with reference to the bolt 6 as a pivotalV center and the vertical inclination is similarly altered by a reversal of the position of the plate 5, the projections Il and their cooperating recesses I2 and I3 being so located as to be engageable in any of the relative positions of the plates.

For the purposes of the adjustment of weight and weight distribution in the club head, provision is made for the application of weights, selectively as to mass and location, to the club head body. In the form illustrated this is effectively and conveniently carried out by a series of threaded recesses I5 in the outer face of the rear Wall of the club head body, that is to say the Wall at the rear of the opening 2, and by Weights IIS in theV form of threaded plugs or cylinders which are in.- serted selectively in the recesses I5 and confined therein by the engagement of the threads. As shown the club head is formed Withfive recesses I5 and the club equipment will include a suitable number of weights I6 which may be of equal mass or which may include sets of weights of different rnass. v The Weights I6 maybe placed as desired in thelrecesses I5 and any desired number of such weights may be employed, the particular openings in which the Weights are fitted and the particular number of Weights employed being a matter of experimentl in every case inasmuch as the essential object of the arrangement is to adapt the club to the individual, in contrast with the c urrent theory of having the individual endeavor to adapt himself to the club. Y

Obviously there may be cases in which the Weights I6 will not be required, the club head body itself happening to be of suitable weight,

suitably distributed. The total WeightV of thel club head, i. e. club head body, plates 4 and 5 and Weights I6, is preferably less than the Weight of a standard club head of corresponding outside dimensions.

The factors of theweight of the club head'body and the distribution of Weight therein and the instantly convertible as to type.

factor of the inclination, lateral and vertical, of the impact face are related in the production of the desired resultant flight of the ball. As pointed out, this relationship does not follow any set formula; it is to be determined in each individual case by experiment and it Will be apparent that the features of club head construction herein described are such that ample latitude for experiment in respect to the related factors is provided for, whereby the individual player can obtain substantially better results, despite, or perhaps because of, his idiosyncrasies of playing form, than he can obtain where he is limited, asin present practice, to the selection of a club head embodying Xed standards of Weight, Weight distribution and impact face inclination.

In addition to the features of utility above described, the club has the advantage of being This operation involves the adjustment of the position of the plate 5. It will readily be seen that, when the plate 5 is positioned to provide an impact face of less vertical inclination, the club will serve the purposes of a driver and When the plate 5 is positioned to provide an impact face of greater inclination vthe club Will serve the purposes of a brassie or spoon.

The club is well adapted for play by either men or Women, boys or girls. Generally speaking, the only distinction is that, in the case of Women, boy or girl players, the total club head Weight will be less than in the case of men players. In many instancesof women, boy or girl players, no addition of weight will be required, that is to say, all the weights I6 will be removed.

The shaft of the club may be of ordinary construction, either steel or Wood, but, in any case, should be light. The weight of the club, as a whole, is preferably sensibly less than the Weight of a standard club of the same shaft length and outside club head dimensions. The construction is such, however, that the major Weight of the club is concentrated in the head.

Having fully described my invention, I claim:

-1.,In a golf cluba club head body provided at its front sidewith a bearing face, juxtaposed plates, one of which rests against the bearing face and one of which provides the impact face of the club head, one of the plates being tapering in the direction of its length and one of the plates being tapering in the direction of its height, and means forV securing said plates to the club head body and providing for reversal, individually, of the positions thereof.

2. In a golf club a club head body provided at its front side with a bearing face, companion elements consisting of inner and outer plates, the inner plate resting` against said bearing face and the outer plate resting against the inner plate, the outer face of the outer plate being the impact face of the club head, and means for securing said plates to the club head body and providing for reversal, individually, of the positions thereof, one of the platesvbeing tapering in the direction of its length and one of the plates being tapering in the direction of its height.

3.. In a golf club a club head body provided at its front side with a bearing face, juxtaposed plates, one-of which rests against the bearing face and one of which provides the impact face of the club head, one of the plates being tapering in the direction of its length and one of the plates being tapering in the direction of its height, and means for securing said plates to the club head body and providing for reversal, individually, of the positions thereof, said means including a centrally located element about which the plates may be turned in effecting their reversal.

4. In a golf club a club head body provided at its front side with a bearing face, juxtaposed plates, one of which rests against the bearing face and one of which provides the impact face of the club head, one of the plates being tapering in the direction of its length and one of the plates being tapering in the direction of its height, said plates and said club head body having alining openings, a bolt having its head tted in said openings and a nut cooperating with said bolt to clamp the plates against one another and against the club head body, the plates being reversible about said bolt as a pivot.

5. In a golf club a club head body provided at its front side with a bearing face, juxtaposed plates, one of which rests against the bearing face and one of which provides the impact face of the club head, one of the plates being tapering in the direction of its length and one of the plates being tapering in the direction of its height, means for securing said plates to the club head body and providing for reversal, individually, of the positions thereof, and means normally eiective for positively holding the plates against displacement in the directions of their planes.

6. In a golf club a club head body provided at its front side with a bearing face, juxtaposed plates, one of which rests against the bearing face and one of which provides the inrpact face of the club head, one of the plates being tapering in the direction of its length and one of the plates being tapering in the direction of its height, means for securing said plates to the club head body and providing for reversal, individually, of the positions thereof, said means including a centrally located element about which the plates may be turned in eiecting their reversal and elements normally effective for positively preventing the pivotal displacement of said plates about said centrally located element.

'7. In a golf club a club head body provided at its front side with a'bearing face, juxtaposed plates, one of which rests against the bearing face and one of which provides the impact face of the club head, one of the plates being tapering in the direction of its length and one of the plates being tapering in the direction of its height, means for securing said plates to the club head body and providing for reversal, individually, of the positions thereof, said means including a centrally located element about which the plates may be turned in effecting their reversal, the bearing face and the plates having inter-engaging projections and recesses which are normally eiective positively to prevent the pivotal displacement of the plates about said centrally located element.

WILLIAM L. WETTLAUFER. 

